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Pin the Carrot on the Snowman
Cut out a snowman shape from white bristol board. Add a hat, buttons, eyes and mouth as desired. Use orange construction paper or funfoam to cut out a carrot shape for each player. Place a stip of double-stick tape on one side, and have the players write their initials on it as well.
To play: Affix the snowman to a wall. Blindfold the first player. Spin the player around three times then face him or her towards the snowman and have them tape their carrot to the place they guess the nose should be. Repeat for each player. Closest and furthest players win.
Variations: Pin the nose on Rudolph, pin the star over the manger.
Santa's Obstacle Course
Create an obstacle course for your elves (or reindeer!). Try using some of these seasonal obstacles:
- quick-wrap a gift: start with this, then deliver it through the course to the end point, or pass to the next teammate to unwrap it before they start the course
- a Christmas tree to run around
- old wreaths to run through (think of football players running through tires)
- candy-striped skipping ropes to skip with or use like a balance beam on the floor
- use a play tunnel or cardboard box as a practice "chimney" to climb through, or call it the milky way and use a
- chlid's slide as "going down the chimney"
- provide a stocking and tiny toys to stuff inside and hang up
Gift Wrap Game
There are many variations on this one. The kids must wrap a box using the paper, ribbons, bows, stickers, tape, etc. you provide. You can have the kids just wrap up boxes, or you can make it more challenging by adding "hoof" gloves or mitts that they must wear as they wrap.
Or try working in teams where the wrapper is blindfolded and the partner gives them verbal instructions. Award prizes or praise for the best, the worst, the fastest and the most original wrapping jobs.
As with all gift games, please reuse old wrapping paper, ribbons and bows as much as possible to reduce waste.
Pass the Present
Wrap an inexpensive gift for each player. Write the name of each player on a piece of paper and place in a bowl.
To play, the players must sit in a circle. Emphasize they are not to open the gifts yet, then hand them out so that each player has one.
Play holiday music and as the players pass the gifts around the circle. When the music stops, pull a name from the bowl. That player may unwrap his or her gift and then sits out (let them pull the next name out). Continue until the gifts are all unwrapped.
As with all gift games, please reuse old wrapping paper, ribbons and bows as much as possible to reduce waste.
Shake it Up
Wrap several items that have distinctive sounds when shaken. Be sure these are not fragile items! Some suggestions: a puzzle, a musical chime toy, a piggy bank with a couple of coins, a bell, some dried beans, a heavy book, a squeaky toy. etc.. Make sure they have a variety of shapes, sizes, colours, sounds and weights. Make a master list so you remember what is inside, and have the players guess the contents of each package. Finish by unwrapping the "gifts" to see how close the guesses were.
As with all gift games, please reuse old wrapping paper, ribbons and bows as much as possible to reduce waste.
Snowplay
- use a recycling box to make large bricks
- bring out the sand toys (buckets, moulds, shovels etc.) and put them into snow service
- make a footstep labyrinth for your friends to follow: shuffle along with your feet together in the snow to make a continuous trail
- make snow angels by lying down on your back and waving your arms and legs up and down beside you through the snow
- build a snowman, snow woman, snow family and/or snow pets
- dig tunnels and caves in the snow, but only go in or through if a reliable adult has deemed it safe
- try blowing bubbles on a very cold day to see what happens
- go tobagganing, skiing, snowshoeing or skating
- build a snow castle (like a sand castle, but with snow)
- find some fresh, clean snow (ask an adult to help you) and pour a little maple syrup on it; let it freeze then eat it
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Christmas and 
